Welcome to my write up for N'Zoth Priest in the Hearthstone Standard format. The purpose of this thread is to condense a lot of the information scattered across the forum in regards to N'Zoth Priest, from the card choices and deck lists, to the nitty-gritty details on matchups and strategy for what I consider to be one of the most powerful value cards to come from Whispers of the Old Gods expansion and the Standard format!
What is N'Zoth Priest?
N'Zoth Priest is a control deck that aims to play midrange creatures backed by removal in order to play a game and use N'Zoth, the Corruptor as late game value and provide a lot of pressure in a single turn by taking advantage of cards like Shifting Shade, Sylvanas Windrunner, and Cairne Bloodhoof. What sets Priest above the other classes in some regards, is the ability to use flexible options like Museum Curator to give you deeper Deathrattle targets, and Shifting Shade as a means of cycling cards to maintain your advantage. While Rogue can do this with Journey Below, it gives up an early game minion to do so and gets less value out of some of their options simply because the cards are random vs cards your opponent deemed worthy to include in their own deck - giving you better manipulation on the overall quality of any proceeds from triggers.
Why N'Zoth Priest?
Priest has access to a solid number of sweepers in addition to premium Deathrattle targets in the Standard format. Shadow Word: Horror, Excavated Evil, and Holy Nova give you 3 card choices for sweeps against aggressive decks like Warlock Zoo, Shaman Aggro, and Divine Paladin. Additionally, you get access to Auchenai Soulpriest + Circle of Healing for even better board clears. You other Shadow Words give you some of the best spot removal in the format to help you hold your ground against a wide array of minions. Perhaps the best reason however, is that Priest has access to Entomb and when the format likes to try and play a big game on your with C'Thun and Tirion Fordring you get a lot of inevitability on your opponents trying to fatigue you out. There are also numerous other value targets in a slower format for Entomb to simply be incredible.
Building N'Zoth Priest
While there are many ways the deck can vary from rank to rank depending on your needs, there are some cards that are necessary in order to keep the deck functioning. Because N'Zoth, the Corruptor has a trigger looking for Deathrattle minions specifically, you are somewhat limited in your options. The upside to this is that compared to a card like Varian Wrynn, you get to be even more selective on what you get from the trigger - meaning less is ultimately more when it comes to the value that you will get off the trigger at the expense of possibly drawing spells you may be able to use.
These cards will often times be your auto includes, as they have some of the best value built into Deathrattle minions of the format. Other options like Infested Tauren and Abomination also have good value built into them if you are looking for additional support against aggressive decks, and Abomination may even be able to fill the role of a sweeper while giving you additional momentum against C'Thun's Chosen and Divine Shield decks. Another common option is Corrupted Healbot as it features a large body and the Deathrattle effect caters to a control game where it is less of a drawback when you have time on your side. Chillmaw can also provide you a great body for a N'Zoth, the Corruptor battlecry trigger while catering to a control game. Sometimes, a Taunt minion returning can make or break the game. Twilight Summoner is a good recurring midgame option that is commonly selected for its Deathrattle trigger, though it has a fairly unimpressive 1/1 body, it gives you some security against removal and can make highly efficient trades with various aggressive creatures in the format.
Getting value out of N'Zoth, the Corruptor is not hard, and it is important to keep in mind that your Deathrattle options should be considered carefully. Devoting too much of the deck to Deathrattle triggers can result in sub optimal lists as well as a weaker N'Zoth Battlecry. Getting a single Sylvanas Windrunner is often going to be better than getting two Infested Tauren turn 10 and onwards
There is a lot of option to run across the mana curve when you are running a Priest deck, and there are a lot of interactions you can fall on to create solid value during the course of the game. This portion of the primer is dedicated to walking you through the mana curve and the options you have when constructing your N'Zoth Priest deck as you climb the ladder or prepare for a tournament.
I've been playing this deck myself but having some real trouble dealing with C'Thun's Chosen, especially if i don't have a board by then. The emperors are an issue as well but at more mana you have a bit more options to deal with them.
I am really glad people like the post. I will be adding a lot more content tonight to go over subbing options, individual card choices as well as strategies. It was getting late last night, but I can get to some answers to questions until I update the post.
Nice primer man! I'll definitely try this out and let you know how i do. Do you think its best to go more midrange or control with this type of deck?
I am for more of a midrange deck and play it like a control deck. You are going to get into fatigue battles a lot if you use the list I posted above, but the most important thing is that you have the ability to play the midrange game plan. The reason why this is important is that you are often time looking to kill them before they drop C'Thun or get them in range to Entomb their own late game threats and fatigue them out. I won a game of fatigue where I was fatigue and my opponent had 9 cards in deck and 30 life to my 7 and was able to fatigue them by using Elise and Entomb to shuffle cards back into my deck to save me 14-26 life. So you want to have that midrange strategy available to help since this is a rare scenario and my cards lined up well, but keep in mind that you play the control game exceptionally well.
I've been playing this deck myself but having some real trouble dealing with C'Thun's Chosen, especially if i don't have a board by then. The emperors are an issue as well but at more mana you have a bit more options to deal with them.
Try running an Abomination over one of the other 5 mana sweeper options. Usually, I just let them rack up C'Thun and try to build my position around surviving it's large trigger then stealing it with Entomb. You can throw out your N'Zoth, the Corruptor prematurely if your hand is set up to steal C'Thun and play the monkey. I do this sometimes to simply soak up damage when they are out of threats and I can fatigue them or kill them with their final finishers.
Hey OP, i've moved this thread to the new Standard Format forum section because this is exactly the type of great posts we were hoping to encourage over there. Once again great job on the post!
What would be reasonable card to replace Cairne with then? I'm thinking of crafting N'Zoth just to try this out, and Cairne is the one I don't have (aside from Confessor, which I will also be replacing with something else).
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Solid write up though there are a few things I think you missed. Firstly, I noticed there is no mention of Wild Pyromancer/spell combos, which I think is a key card for Priest. Even when running 2 Excavated Evil and 2 Aulchenai/Circle you generally don't have enough board clear, in my experience (since usually you will draw one, clear, and then the opponent will re-flood the board) Pyro with two spells (let's say Power Word: Shield, and The Coin, or Flash Heal, or even Circle of Healing in a pinch) clears the board against most smaller minions.
Holy Nova is a 5 mana spell which accomplishes the same thing (as compared to a 3 mana, 3 card clear in Pyro), and since there's virtually no Northshire Cleric synergy in this deck it's probably not worth running. In fact, running two Northshires seems like a waste since it's such a low impact card and you're not really going to be playing it on T3 to heal something (maybe Pyro if you ran it). Running one instead of two may be better. Two Excavated Evil is necessary in this meta.
Shadow Madness is pretty weak in this format as well- you can't trade Spirit Wolfinto itself, you can't really trade Totem Golemand Tunnel Trogg into each other, nothing to trade Imp Gang Boss into, and the like. The card isn't bad, but it's not good either. We are already going to win most games against Zoo, and if we don't have a clear by T4 against Face Shaman we are dead, so I don't see its utility in fast matchups. But it might be worth playing if there are enough sub-3 attack minions in the meta (which I don't think is the case right now).
Darkshire Alchemist should not be played over Flash Heal in this deck. We have a much better 5-drop in Corrupted Healbot, which I find to be a very strong card against most mid-late decks due its difficulty of removal. The 8 heal to face can be taken advantage of with Auchenai Soulpriest or Embrace the Shadow, which is nice. Cairne Bloodhoof is a solid card if you are running into very large amounts of control but if you're not that spot can also usually go to a Corrupted Healbot which has more immediate impact.
Very surprised your list runs two Shadow Word: Pain, I think one is good as it is, for the same reasons running Shadow Madness isn't particularly good. Not enough strong targets.
Forbidden Shaping is a decent one-of, since it can both help you curve out and give you more late game. And it combos with Pyro.
Confessor Paletress is a dead card in most matchups and you're never going to be getting more than one legendary off of it, at most. Don't think it's worth including. Similar to Herald Volazj in that it is far too greedy to ever see serious play.
Loot Hoarder/Bloodmage Thalnos are both also pretty questionable. Thalnos might be ok in that you can use it for a 7 mana, 4 damage clear with EE but but both the cards are very low impact and don't pair well with anything else Priest has. You also don't want to summon them later off of N'zoth in control matchups.
The first thing you may find strange in this list is the inclusion of dobbel embrace, and while i was super sceptical of this card in the begginning because it seemed like an awful card in form of value i have found the card to be extremly good in this deck.
The reason is because of lack of Lightbomb circle + auchenai is your most important boardclear, but because it requires to card its not always you have it when you need it. With embrace this is rarely a problem, it also synergieses with corrupted healbot, flash heals and darkshire alchemist so it never feels like a dead draw and a burden. If your still not convinced then i recommend you try with one copy and sub in a pain for the second or something but i find the deck to be much better with dobbel embrace. Its a card that you have to play with to see how flexible and good it is, iv pulled of some sick leathals with corrupted healbot by SW:D, circle. Dealt 20dmg to face against a hunter that ignored it over two turns at rank 6 and went face instead with his board because i already had played double auchenai and he assumed i couldnt proc it. Priest can also smorc you know!
Loot hoarder may seem strange for someone instead of curators, but i simply find curators to be too slow against zoo and shaman. Loot hoarders help you draw your combo pieces and is a okay tempo play. Excavated instead of nova simply because 3dmg kills more stuff, especially in shaman matchup.
This deck destroys Shaman and im not kidding, the first day of season while i was still tweaking this deck i lost 10/12 matches against shaman, but after adding loot hoarders and embrace my win rate against shaman is around 80% acording to decktracker.
The hard matchups are the usual suspects like freeze mage and such, and fatigue warriors may also be though if they run double brawl, and in this case you should get your shades as fast as possible for value before and after nzoth.
Personally I prefer nzoth priest over paladin primarily because of shifting shades, museum curator, and entombs. Yea pally (my second favorite class btw) does have tirry and light rag but the simple fact that they can be entombed and you pretty much know they will be coming doesn't give them an advantage IMO. Pally does have a more consistent board clear but it's doing nothing but building my nzoth also so it's a catch 22. Keeper and Aldor do suck but I'll take a trade with death rattles any day than soft removals.
Also, as a one off and to counter a full late game board push I run death wing. Yeah I might lose my hand but most if not ALL nzoth swings start after turn 11-12 unless they are able to make hella good death rattle trades and keep board position. Not saying it isn't possible, just highly improbable most games
I've been running N'Zoth priest with dragons. It's a natural fit with Deathwing, Dragonlord and Chillmaw. Seems viable at rank 12. Helluva fun to play.
I entomb his cairne so thats how i got 2 From my shade i got a keeper of Uldaman i used the keeper on his sylvanas then shadow madness it into his guy. the Deathwing i got from Creator was my best option out of the 3 i had to choose from.
this deck is super Fun its hard againist aggro unless u get the right cards but if you can manage to make it to turn 5 or 6 and still not be too low on health you should be pretty good.
Standard N'Zoth Priest
Welcome to my write up for N'Zoth Priest in the Hearthstone Standard format. The purpose of this thread is to condense a lot of the information scattered across the forum in regards to N'Zoth Priest, from the card choices and deck lists, to the nitty-gritty details on matchups and strategy for what I consider to be one of the most powerful value cards to come from Whispers of the Old Gods expansion and the Standard format!
What is N'Zoth Priest?
N'Zoth Priest is a control deck that aims to play midrange creatures backed by removal in order to play a game and use N'Zoth, the Corruptor as late game value and provide a lot of pressure in a single turn by taking advantage of cards like Shifting Shade, Sylvanas Windrunner, and Cairne Bloodhoof. What sets Priest above the other classes in some regards, is the ability to use flexible options like Museum Curator to give you deeper Deathrattle targets, and Shifting Shade as a means of cycling cards to maintain your advantage. While Rogue can do this with Journey Below, it gives up an early game minion to do so and gets less value out of some of their options simply because the cards are random vs cards your opponent deemed worthy to include in their own deck - giving you better manipulation on the overall quality of any proceeds from triggers.
Why N'Zoth Priest?
Priest has access to a solid number of sweepers in addition to premium Deathrattle targets in the Standard format. Shadow Word: Horror, Excavated Evil, and Holy Nova give you 3 card choices for sweeps against aggressive decks like Warlock Zoo, Shaman Aggro, and Divine Paladin. Additionally, you get access to Auchenai Soulpriest + Circle of Healing for even better board clears. You other Shadow Words give you some of the best spot removal in the format to help you hold your ground against a wide array of minions. Perhaps the best reason however, is that Priest has access to Entomb and when the format likes to try and play a big game on your with C'Thun and Tirion Fordring you get a lot of inevitability on your opponents trying to fatigue you out. There are also numerous other value targets in a slower format for Entomb to simply be incredible.
Building N'Zoth Priest
While there are many ways the deck can vary from rank to rank depending on your needs, there are some cards that are necessary in order to keep the deck functioning. Because N'Zoth, the Corruptor has a trigger looking for Deathrattle minions specifically, you are somewhat limited in your options. The upside to this is that compared to a card like Varian Wrynn, you get to be even more selective on what you get from the trigger - meaning less is ultimately more when it comes to the value that you will get off the trigger at the expense of possibly drawing spells you may be able to use.
N'Zoth, the Corruptor
Sylvanas Windrunner
Cairne Bloodhoof
Shifting Shade
Museum Curator
These cards will often times be your auto includes, as they have some of the best value built into Deathrattle minions of the format. Other options like Infested Tauren and Abomination also have good value built into them if you are looking for additional support against aggressive decks, and Abomination may even be able to fill the role of a sweeper while giving you additional momentum against C'Thun's Chosen and Divine Shield decks. Another common option is Corrupted Healbot as it features a large body and the Deathrattle effect caters to a control game where it is less of a drawback when you have time on your side. Chillmaw can also provide you a great body for a N'Zoth, the Corruptor battlecry trigger while catering to a control game. Sometimes, a Taunt minion returning can make or break the game. Twilight Summoner is a good recurring midgame option that is commonly selected for its Deathrattle trigger, though it has a fairly unimpressive 1/1 body, it gives you some security against removal and can make highly efficient trades with various aggressive creatures in the format.
Getting value out of N'Zoth, the Corruptor is not hard, and it is important to keep in mind that your Deathrattle options should be considered carefully. Devoting too much of the deck to Deathrattle triggers can result in sub optimal lists as well as a weaker N'Zoth Battlecry. Getting a single Sylvanas Windrunner is often going to be better than getting two Infested Tauren turn 10 and onwards
There is a lot of option to run across the mana curve when you are running a Priest deck, and there are a lot of interactions you can fall on to create solid value during the course of the game. This portion of the primer is dedicated to walking you through the mana curve and the options you have when constructing your N'Zoth Priest deck as you climb the ladder or prepare for a tournament.
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Decklists
Th3D1RtSt4R
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Nice primer man! I'll definitely try this out and let you know how i do. Do you think its best to go more midrange or control with this type of deck?
Great post :)
Thx for sharing this article with us. That's a lot of work you did.
i played this version of Priest already and can only agree, that this type has all the abiltities to go to legend.
Regards, chrischtili
I have every card except Cairne Bloodhoof. Is there any replacement for him? Suggestions besides craft him?
...wait...I take that back...I just Entombed one...too bad I don't get to keep it. :)
I've been playing this deck myself but having some real trouble dealing with C'Thun's Chosen, especially if i don't have a board by then. The emperors are an issue as well but at more mana you have a bit more options to deal with them.
I am really glad people like the post. I will be adding a lot more content tonight to go over subbing options, individual card choices as well as strategies. It was getting late last night, but I can get to some answers to questions until I update the post.
Hey OP, i've moved this thread to the new Standard Format forum section because this is exactly the type of great posts we were hoping to encourage over there. Once again great job on the post!
I tried this out but with forbidden shaping in place of palestress. It's really nice having that shot at tirion on t8 or t10+ after hero power.
What would be reasonable card to replace Cairne with then? I'm thinking of crafting N'Zoth just to try this out, and Cairne is the one I don't have (aside from Confessor, which I will also be replacing with something else).
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Solid write up though there are a few things I think you missed. Firstly, I noticed there is no mention of Wild Pyromancer/spell combos, which I think is a key card for Priest. Even when running 2 Excavated Evil and 2 Aulchenai/Circle you generally don't have enough board clear, in my experience (since usually you will draw one, clear, and then the opponent will re-flood the board) Pyro with two spells (let's say Power Word: Shield, and The Coin, or Flash Heal, or even Circle of Healing in a pinch) clears the board against most smaller minions.
Holy Nova is a 5 mana spell which accomplishes the same thing (as compared to a 3 mana, 3 card clear in Pyro), and since there's virtually no Northshire Cleric synergy in this deck it's probably not worth running. In fact, running two Northshires seems like a waste since it's such a low impact card and you're not really going to be playing it on T3 to heal something (maybe Pyro if you ran it). Running one instead of two may be better. Two Excavated Evil is necessary in this meta.
Shadow Madness is pretty weak in this format as well- you can't trade Spirit Wolfinto itself, you can't really trade Totem Golemand Tunnel Trogg into each other, nothing to trade Imp Gang Boss into, and the like. The card isn't bad, but it's not good either. We are already going to win most games against Zoo, and if we don't have a clear by T4 against Face Shaman we are dead, so I don't see its utility in fast matchups. But it might be worth playing if there are enough sub-3 attack minions in the meta (which I don't think is the case right now).
Darkshire Alchemist should not be played over Flash Heal in this deck. We have a much better 5-drop in Corrupted Healbot, which I find to be a very strong card against most mid-late decks due its difficulty of removal. The 8 heal to face can be taken advantage of with Auchenai Soulpriest or Embrace the Shadow, which is nice. Cairne Bloodhoof is a solid card if you are running into very large amounts of control but if you're not that spot can also usually go to a Corrupted Healbot which has more immediate impact.
Very surprised your list runs two Shadow Word: Pain, I think one is good as it is, for the same reasons running Shadow Madness isn't particularly good. Not enough strong targets.
Forbidden Shaping is a decent one-of, since it can both help you curve out and give you more late game. And it combos with Pyro.
Confessor Paletress is a dead card in most matchups and you're never going to be getting more than one legendary off of it, at most. Don't think it's worth including. Similar to Herald Volazj in that it is far too greedy to ever see serious play.
Loot Hoarder/Bloodmage Thalnos are both also pretty questionable. Thalnos might be ok in that you can use it for a 7 mana, 4 damage clear with EE but but both the cards are very low impact and don't pair well with anything else Priest has. You also don't want to summon them later off of N'zoth in control matchups.
Would like to try it but missing N'Zoth and Confessor so unless I get 3200 dust it's a no go for me. :(
Currently sitting at rank 5 as of 05.05.
My list: http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/531100-nzoth-priest-rank-5-05-05-2016
The first thing you may find strange in this list is the inclusion of dobbel embrace, and while i was super sceptical of this card in the begginning because it seemed like an awful card in form of value i have found the card to be extremly good in this deck.
The reason is because of lack of Lightbomb circle + auchenai is your most important boardclear, but because it requires to card its not always you have it when you need it. With embrace this is rarely a problem, it also synergieses with corrupted healbot, flash heals and darkshire alchemist so it never feels like a dead draw and a burden. If your still not convinced then i recommend you try with one copy and sub in a pain for the second or something but i find the deck to be much better with dobbel embrace. Its a card that you have to play with to see how flexible and good it is, iv pulled of some sick leathals with corrupted healbot by SW:D, circle. Dealt 20dmg to face against a hunter that ignored it over two turns at rank 6 and went face instead with his board because i already had played double auchenai and he assumed i couldnt proc it. Priest can also smorc you know!
Loot hoarder may seem strange for someone instead of curators, but i simply find curators to be too slow against zoo and shaman. Loot hoarders help you draw your combo pieces and is a okay tempo play. Excavated instead of nova simply because 3dmg kills more stuff, especially in shaman matchup.
This deck destroys Shaman and im not kidding, the first day of season while i was still tweaking this deck i lost 10/12 matches against shaman, but after adding loot hoarders and embrace my win rate against shaman is around 80% acording to decktracker.
The hard matchups are the usual suspects like freeze mage and such, and fatigue warriors may also be though if they run double brawl, and in this case you should get your shades as fast as possible for value before and after nzoth.
Great post. Surprised you didn't mention Twilight Summoner as an option.
This is a variation of the first deck I built when standard went live. Only I have Herald Volazj in it for extra deathrattle value.
Personally I prefer nzoth priest over paladin primarily because of shifting shades, museum curator, and entombs. Yea pally (my second favorite class btw) does have tirry and light rag but the simple fact that they can be entombed and you pretty much know they will be coming doesn't give them an advantage IMO. Pally does have a more consistent board clear but it's doing nothing but building my nzoth also so it's a catch 22. Keeper and Aldor do suck but I'll take a trade with death rattles any day than soft removals.
I can't see flat, that ain't my tone
Also, as a one off and to counter a full late game board push I run death wing. Yeah I might lose my hand but most if not ALL nzoth swings start after turn 11-12 unless they are able to make hella good death rattle trades and keep board position. Not saying it isn't possible, just highly improbable most games
I can't see flat, that ain't my tone
I've been running N'Zoth priest with dragons. It's a natural fit with Deathwing, Dragonlord and Chillmaw. Seems viable at rank 12. Helluva fun to play.
Check this out what i got my My Nzoth
I entomb his cairne so thats how i got 2
From my shade i got a keeper of Uldaman i used the keeper on his sylvanas then shadow madness it into his guy. the Deathwing i got from Creator was my best option out of the 3 i had to choose from.
this deck is super Fun its hard againist aggro unless u get the right cards but if you can manage to make it to turn 5 or 6 and still not be too low on health you should be pretty good.